Press Releases

Washington, DC - Today marks the end of the tenure of Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn as President and CEO of the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE). After being nominated by President Barack Obama on July 8th to be the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment, the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Vice Admiral McGinn before the beginning of the August recess, allowing him to oversee the transition of ACORE to interim CEO Michael Brower.

“Vice Admiral McGinn strengthened ACORE and its mission of building a more secure and prosperous America with clean, renewable energy,” said Dan Adler, Co-chair of ACORE’s Board of Directors. “It’s truly impressive what he’s done in his career of serving our country as a serviceman and a civilian. He’s encouraged bipartisan support for renewable energy and will continue to strengthen the energy posture of our country in his new role at the Department of Defense.”

Before leading ACORE, Admiral McGinn served on the ACORE Advisory Committee and worked in or with several organizations at the intersection of energy, national security and the environment. Prior to his civilian career, Admiral McGinn served 35 years with the U.S. Navy as a light-attack naval aviator, test pilot, aircraft carrier commanding officer, and national security strategist. His capstone assignment with the Navy was as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfare Requirements and Programs at the Pentagon, where he oversaw the development of future U.S. Navy capabilities. In a previous operational leadership role, he commanded the U.S. Third Fleet, and was responsible for the U.S. Navy’s operational air, surface and subsurface presence for some 50 million square miles of the eastern and northern Pacific Ocean.

“In my years working at ACORE, I’ve witnessed Admiral McGinn lead this organization to impressive heights,” said ACORE Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations, Tom Weirich. “During the Admiral’s tenure, he improved the efficacy of ACORE’s work by focusing on key market drivers in our industry through our three initiatives on National Defense & Security, Power Generation & Infrastructure and Transportation. He also broke ground for the industry with the launch of Energy Fact Check, completely reshaping the way our industry communicates with key stakeholders and the public. Admiral McGinn certainly positioned the organization to thrive and his vision, inclusiveness and expertise will be missed and not forgotten. But because of him, ACORE’s mission continues stronger than ever.”

During the search for the Admiral’s successor, Michael Brower, Senior Federal Policy Director of Mosaic Federal Affairs, will act as ACORE’s Interim President and CEO. Michael Brower is a member of both the ACORE Board of Directors and Leadership Council and is co-chairing ACORE’s Search Committee for the new President and CEO. “'Awesome job done well’ is Secretary McGinn’s legacy at ACORE. He has evened ACORE’s keel, turned ACORE into the wind and we are underway using renewable power,” said Brower. “Our crew, the exceptionally talented and professional ACORE staff, is ready and able to meet any renewable energy challenge with research-based facts and unmatched acumen. Today, with ACORE’s Board of Director’s ratified strategic plan in hand, we have a constellation of constant stars by which we can navigate – a navigator’s dream! ACORE knows where we are going and how to get there. Now, in Navy parlance, we wish Admiral McGinn, ‘fair winds and following seas as we hoist the BZ pennant!'”